The Road Home My Own Personal Hell
by Lord Seymour Guado
Summary: Set after Battle City. Malik returns home and reflects and confronts his past. R&R please. REVISED. COMPLETE.
1. Part One

The Road Home (My Own Personal Hell)

_A/N: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!_.

Summary: After the events of Battle City, Malik returns home to reflect and confront his past. May have spoilers, you've been warned. Sorry if the names are misspelled. Please RR.

Part One

"The road home is a long one. For most of us, even if we don't admit it, it's tough as Hell. For me, it's the hardest thing I've ever done." Malik began. He was in the room where not even five years ago, he'd sent his father to the shadow realm. This is where his own personal Hell began. And not just his, Odeon's, Isis', and his…father's own personal Hell also began.

He dropped to his knees, regret stabbing his heart. He thought of all the trouble he'd caused, all for being angry with someone who couldn't have prevented the circumstances even if he'd wanted to. "Yami…"

Thanks to the pharaoh, everyone's suffering had ended. Except his, he needed to exorcise his demons. That started with the home, where it all truly started. He shivered as a cold draft brushed against his bare skin. His old home had lost what little luster it had. It now looked like an ancient temple, even though people had been there as little as five years ago.

He thought back to those final weeks when the line between Hikari and Yami was forever blurred. He shook his head free of those thoughts, the thoughts of when his father blamed Odeon for the snakebite, when he first saw Shadi, sending his father to the Shadow Realm, and venturing outside with Isis.

Malik was so messed up, so confused. "Raaggh…" He growled. He stood up punching the brick wall and ignoring the pain it caused. "I don't get why everything is so…messed up. Why can't I just be happy, like Isis?"

'Was it really so wrong to just want to have fun…to go out into the world? No, that's not wrong...it may be selfish but not wrong.' Malik thought. He suddenly wanted to get away from this place. To get away from this pain, but he had to stay…he couldn't just turn away from his past.

He began walking, walking through the corridors which he'd known so well in his childhood. He passed the room in which Odeon had promised to protect him, 'He did a damn good job of protecting me too, even if Yami Malik had managed to take over completely.' He continued on his and found the room in which Isis and him had been born.

He hadn't really bonded with his father, but his mother…she was the best. He had adored her, she was smart, strong, and beautiful. But then she died, and he felt a piece of his heart die with her. He didn't want to hang around there any longer, it began to stir up more emotions for him. It was intense enough.

Malik walked on, knowing that his next destination was going to be above and beyond that. He continued walking, not really wanting to go there, but he knew he must. He stopped, vaguely aware that he'd reach his destination.

He entered the room slowly…this room was the room in which a lot of things had happened. This was the room, in which he received the Tomb Keeper's Initiation, met Shadi, was taken over by Yami Malik, and sent his father to the Shadow Realm. He looked slowly around the room, everything had been left the way it was on that day, five years ago.

The room was in shambles, the furniture was broken and rotting away. Thick dust and cobwebs covered the room. A miniature ecosystem of snakes, rats, fungi, scorpions, and insects now existed. It didn't matter to him, he hated this place. It was his hatred of this place and the pharaoh that led him down the wrong path.

"If only I had listened to Shadi." Malik whispered to himself. He could say all the if onlys he wanted, it didn't change anything. He looked down at his feet, a cobra looked ready to strike at him. He wisely decided to move away from it.

After moving a few feet away, Malik began to stare at the wall directly in front of him. Through this wall, Yami Malik had taken over and sent his father to the Shadow Realm. He felt guilty that he had hated Shadi for so long, believing that he had been the one that sent his father to the shadow realm. In the end, he found out it'd been Yami Malik.

Now it was time to face his past…he didn't know what to do. He remembered what Yugi and Yami said like broken records when a duel turned against them…'The heart of the cards…that was it wasn't it?' If the cards possessed this "heart" than surely he did.

He felt like crying, he took a deep breath. He began to think of his father and began to concentrate on him. It wasn't long before the Eye of Ra began to glow on his forehead. It connected to the wall and a void to the Shadow Realm. Out of the void, his father appeared.


	2. Part Two

**The Road Home (My Own Personal Hell)**

_A/N: Thanks for reviewing. It seems I got confused about the title, so you can either call it "The Road Home" or "My Own Personal Hell."_

_I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!_

Part Two

Malik opened his eyes slowly. He stared at his father unsure of what to do. His father looked exactly the same as he did the day he was sent to the Shadow Realm. Malik had once seen a soul that had been sent to the Shadow Realm, it looked neither human nor monster. He suddenly wished he'd never came back to this place, 'Damn Yami for suggesting it in the first place.'

The remnant of his father didn't even seem aware of his presence. It just stood there, as if waiting for a sign. Upset with himself, he thought, 'Dammit, did I come all this way just to sit and stare!'

He called out softly to his father. At first it didn't respond, but after a minute it looked up at him. Its eyes were hollow, and it's expression vacant. But it was a start. "Malik…" It groaned.

He stepped back, frightened. He turned to run from it, but stopped when it called him back. It sounded like one of Obelisk's tormented victims, rather than his father. He turned to face his father once more. "I am sorry…" Malik began.

He kept his eyes on the floor, unable to look his father in the eye. "Don't be." It droned. "It couldn't…be helped. Maybe…if I'd…listened…then things would…be different."

Malik started to cry "No, father, it was my fault. If I had just accepted my duty…if I weren't so selfish!"

"My…son…you mustn't…blame yourself…it…was meant to…be. I…know it wasn't…really…you." His father stated. Malik stared at him, he walked over to the soul of his father.

"Father, I am lost. I haven't protected the tomb, forsaken our family, and I caused the pharaoh so much trouble…help me…" Malik pleaded, in tears. He felt like the little boy that he had been five years ago. Just wanting to escape this wretched place. He felt like he'd reached a new low…

"What you…ask..is impossible…" His father replied flatly. "But…perhaps I can…offer…you a…chance to…heal."

Malik looked at his father hopefully. "Really?" He said after a long pause.

"Yes…but you… must… want… it."

"I do…I want it. I want to be free of my past." He said quickly.

"That…Malik…can never…happen. But you…can reflect…and… learn from it. Perhaps then…you…can no longer…feel…it's burdens." His father said.

A light began to emanate from his father and an Eye of Ra on his forehead. The light glowed brighter and brighter until Malik could no longer see the room where his descent into Hell began all over again. He suddenly felt himself slip away.


	3. Part Three

The Road Home (My Own Personal Hell)  
  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I am pleased that others think I can nail a character's personality or thoughts. Anyway thanks. This chapter isn't that angsty. If you still like it, I had an idea for a follow up which would be pretty good.  
  
I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!.  
  
Chapter 3: One's Self  
  
When Malik opened his eyes, all he saw as white. He squinted, it was like looking into the sun. He looked down at his feet, waiting for his eyes to adjust. When they finally did adjust, he looked up. "Where am I?" He asked.  
  
He hoped someone was there, anyone. He felt uncomfortable in all this light. When he looked back on his life, all he saw is darkness. "You're at Hikari's Point. The starting place of the Shadow Realm." A familiar voice said.  
  
He turned and gawked at the person. He could make out the form of a weakened Yami Malik. He stared surprised that he'd even answered. "What?" Malik asked dumbly.  
  
"Hikari's Point. The bright light that casts shadows from the Millennium Items and creates the Shadow Realm." Yami Malik answered again. It became apparent to Malik two things. One, Yami Malik was weakened in this place. And two, he was chained up by the light.   
  
Malik looked at Yami Malik for a minute. Without warning, Malik attacked Yami Malik in a flurry of kicks and punches. He stopped when Yami Malik's screams began to overwhelm him. He fell to his knees, he wanted this to end. "Stop this! Please, father stop!" He yelled to no one.   
  
"I deserved that…and more." Yami Malik spoke to him.   
  
"Why? Why did you make me do those horrible things?" Malik said barely above a whisper. He looked at Yami Malik expectantly.  
  
"You can't be serious." Yami Malik said bluntly. "It wasn't all me you know." Yami Malik looked at his Hikari, 'Was I really that bad…I was no worse than Bakura!' He decided.  
  
"I know…a part of me was angry at the pharaoh. I just wanted…I wanted to be normal. Do normal things…not that going after the pharaoh's power was normal." Malik looked at Yami Malik hard. "What was your aspiration?"  
  
Yami Malik locked his eyes on Malik's. "Don't you know, we're one in the same." Yami Malik said slowly. "It's…when this all began, me and the pharaoh were friends. I wanted to go and travel and do a million other things with my life, but he held me back."  
  
Malik looked at Yami Malik, a slight smile coming across his face. "Where would you have gone?"  
  
"To see the Seven Wonders of the World. I really wanted to see the Colossus. But by that time, the Shadow Games were out of control and the pharaoh decided to seal it."  
  
"I see." Malik said. It wasn't new information that the Millennium Items had sealed spirits. The Shadow Realm had been closed from the inside at several points. And the seven spirits had taken refuge in the Items. Some had not survived and some fell prey to the darkness of the Shadow Realm. That explained why Shadi and Isis possessed no Yamis and why Yami Bakura and Yami Malik were so twisted.  
  
"The evil of the Shadow Realm corrupted both you and Bakura didn't it?"  
  
"Yes, we took refuge in them, but four were lost…" Yami Malik replied. "That's the way the Shadow Realm works, it takes the darkness inside you and increases it. Some are more susceptible than others."  
  
He shook his head in agreement. Yami Malik looked at his Hikari. "I am sorry." He said.  
  
Malik looked at him funny. "About?"  
  
"Everything. I, like you, had a wish to travel outside my world. Something I wasn't able to do for five thousand years. By that time…"  
  
"…It was too late." Malik finished for him. "It made you angrier didn't it?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"My father forcing his will on me? Is that why you sent him to the Shadow Realm?" Malik asked.  
  
Yami Malik shook his head "Yes." He looked away, as did Malik.   
  
"I am leaving now." Malik said bitterly. 'Have we reached an understanding?' They both thought. Malik turned to look at Yami Malik. "I was wondering," Yami Malik began. "If things had been different, would we have been friends?"  
  
Malik turned back, stunned. "I, uh…yeah!" He said, turning back to his Yami. It was then this place began to glow brighter and brighter…  
  
~*~  
  
Malik awoke with a start. He was back at his former home again. Alone and on the floor. He quickly got up, remembering just what kind of animals were in this place. He began to wipe off the assorted insects that had begun to crawl on him. He looked to his right, and did a double take.  
  
"The Millennium Rod…" He whispered. 'Impossible, I threw that thing away on that strange island Seto Kaiba took us too.' He thought.  
  
"You did…Malik. But…when you…were…at Hikari's…Point…you made…peace with your…soul. You have…healed…my...son." His father's voice echoed.   
  
Malik looked down. 'Finally, peace.' He thought. He looked down at the Millennium Rod, it seemed to glow and Yami Malik appeared, smirking before disappearing.   
  
End  
  
A/N: I hope it wasn't bad. I had three different ideas and I chose this one. I hope it doesn't suck. But let me know if you would like a follow up to this. It'd be posted separately. 


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